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The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, complete with family gatherings, meaningful traditions, delicious food, and gifts. It is precisely these things that can lead to stress and overwhelm us.

Keeping the holidays simple can reduce stress and chaos. Consider the following ways to simplify your holidays this year. Taking time to reflect on what you do want this holiday season — and what you don’t — can help you keep your celebrations simple and heartfelt.

Grasses growing among burnt tree trunks at the start of the Cerro Del Abrigo trail. Photo by Robert Dryja

PEEC Amateur Naturalist: The forests of the Cerros Del Abrigo

By Robert Dryja

Clear cut logging in the early 1970’s left a large area of the Cerros Del Abrigo a blank slate for plant regeneration.

From this starting point different trees and grasses started to regrow. Three variables affecting the regeneration were: (1) the steepness of a slope; (2) more or less moisture; and (3) more or less soil available for growth.

I’ve been a Cubs fan since I was about 3-years-old. When people would ask why I liked the Cubs, I would tell them that it taught humility.

After all, every year, the Cubs seemed to get my hopes up and then crush them like a recycled soda can. Honestly, I had come to expect nothing less from them—that is, until they went and won the World Series causing me to question everything I knew!

There are some things that we hope for and expect that one day they will come to pass, like graduating school, or getting a job.

It’s that time of year…we excitedly stand out in the cold to watch the holiday light parade, marvel at the performance of the Nutcracker ballet and look forward to time spent with family and friends celebrating the holiday season.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope you will enjoy reading this as I share some ideas that might inspire you this season.

We often see holiday decorating ideas that are perfect for the living room and even the tabletop, but what if you’re one of those particularly dedicated folks

I was visiting with a customer the other day when we started reviewing his homeowners policy for gaps in coverage. While we were talking about his personal property coverage, he stated how he had just purchased an expensive anniversary ring for his wife. He was happy to see he had a high limit of coverage for his property and wouldn’t have to worry about the ring being stolen. A logical but inaccurate belief.

Homeowners policies are designed to insure your property against theft.

An article in Science News, Oct.1, 2016 reports that the left side of a dog's brain is activated by the words "good boy."

The right side responds to human voice intonation, according to Science Magazine, Dec. 2.

Human brains are no different: words' meanings are processed in the left side of the brain; the words' intonation is interpreted on the right side. It's another example of how closely related we are to some other mammals.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a new film based on the book by J.K. Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series. As in those stories, there are in this one magic people, wizards, witches and the like, and then there are the rest of us. We’re called “Muggles” in England, but in the U.S. (this story takes place in New York City), it turns out we are just called “non-maj” for non-magical.

Arriving in New York on a ship from England in 1924 is a magical person by the name of Newt Scamander.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a new film based on the book by J.K. Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series. As in those stories, there are in this one magic people, wizards, witches and the like, and then there are the rest of us. We’re called “Muggles” in England, but in the U.S. (this story takes place in New York City), it turns out we are just called “non-maj” for non-magical.

Movie poster for 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'.

Arriving in New York on a ship from England in 1924 is a magical person by the name of Newt

“Moana” is a visual and auditory delight for adults, with a fun plot line for kids. It is an animated story of an adventurous daughter of a Polynesian chief in the pre-contact Pacific region. She defies her cautious parents and takes a large oceangoing, double canoe to find the demi-god Maui to right a wrong and rebalance nature.

Movie poster for 'Moana'. Courtesy image

Visually, the film portrays good detail of daily life in a traditional Polynesian village; the people wear fine mat clothing and live in the same styles of thatched homes that are known to

“The most difficult instrument to play in the orchestra is second fiddle.” —Leonard Bernstein

I played the tenor sax in the school band during 6th and 7th grade. It was there that I learned about “chair” position. A friend of mine, Casey, also played the tenor sax, and I remember constantly competing against him for first chair. Casey held that position for the vast majority of my short lived musical career. On the bright side, I like to think I rocked my second chair position!

The holiday season brings many causes for celebration. Celebration often includes partaking in alcohol. While most will drink responsibly, even light drinkers need to take all possible measures to avoid operating a vehicle after drinking.

When my Grandpa Dabney was young, he got drunk one night and drove his car into a tree. He wrecked the car but somehow avoided injury or arrest. Being a smart man, though, he realized the dangers of drinking and drivIng. So he quit driving. Permanently. Seriously!

Tales of Our TimesBy JOHN BARTLITNew Mexico Citizensfor Clean Air & Water

A Novel Method Lets Out More Truth

Many thoughts crowded my head after the news came last month that I was to receive the 2016 Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award from the Friends of Bandelier. The blend of thoughts brings to mind the many faces of progress.

Ask your friends what they dislike about their pantry and you’ll likely get “it’s too small” or “I can’t find anything!” I hear these complaints often. Clearly, a pantry takes careful planning.

Whether you’re building a new kitchen or remodeling, you need to consider what makes a pantry work and which kind is best for your situation. There are three main types of pantries: cabinets, reach-ins and walk-ins. There is also a hybrid pantry/mudroom/laundry room that the homeowner walks through as they enter the house.

“The only time we close is for Thanksgiving.” Many years ago, while traveling through a city I have long forgotten, I had stopped for dinner at a Chinese restaurant, where I overheard the owner chatting with a departing couple. “You’re not closed for New Year’s?” the man persisted. The owner’s heavy accent seemed to thicken with his emphasis. “We only close for Thanksgiving. It’s the only day.”

This time of year always brings back to memory that brief exchange. I never found out why Thanksgiving was the only special day for this family.

My wife, Deb, and I enjoy our life in red rock southern Utah and have many things for which we are thankful. I hope sharing them brings a smile and acknowledgement that even the seldom thought of can be a source of thankfulness.

1. I appreciate earth’s large moon. It is waaay larger in relation to the size of the earth than any other moon in the solar system. At about 2,159 miles in diameter, our moon is larger than Pluto. It moderates the tilt of the earth’s rotational axis which produces fairly constant seasonal changes over millennia.

We hear the term Human Resources a lot, and HR departments are found at companies large and small.

But have you ever stopped to consider what the term really means?

William R. Tracey, in The Human Resources Glossary, defines Human Resources as: "The people that staff and operate an organization.” Businessdictionary.com states that it is the “scarcest and most crucial productive resource that creates the largest and longest lasting advantage for an organization. It resides in the knowledge, skills, and motivation of people…”

One of the advantages associated with long-term investing is the potential for compounding. Here’s how it works.When your investments produce earnings, those earnings get reinvested and can earn even more.

The more time your money stays invested, the greater the opportunity for compounding and growth. Keep in mind that while compounding, overall, can have a significant long-term impact, there may be periods where your money won’t grow.

While there are no guarantees, the value of compounded investment earnings can turn out to be far

Clients normally visit Estheticians to correct a skin problem rather than to prevent issues from occurring. Prevention is the first line of defense when it comes to skin Health and slowing down the aging process, but many are missing this step.

Clients too often wait until their skin appearance and health get severe, at which point they wind up in their esthetician’s treatment room expecting 15 years of damage to be removed in one session.